Chapel Show Notes

You’ve Got Big College Goals, but What if Those Goals Move Slowly?

Degree, job, spouse, house … as a college student, maybe you have these milestones on your “goals” checklist. And maybe … just maybe … you want to reach all of these goals ASAP. So you pray big prayers, and you pray for life-changing moments that will come much sooner than later. But what if the “now” that you want is actually the “later” that God has planned for you? Can you wait?

In his ORU Chapel message, “The God of Little by Little,” Jon Chasteen explores our God who doesn’t always do “big and fast.” Jon asks us to put away the anxiousness and the immediacy and, instead, welcome our God of “little by little.” You might have “now” prayers, but that’s not how God always works. Instead, little by little, God may be slowly preparing you for your divine calling.

Key Takeaways

Big and Fast vs. Little by Little

· “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” — Revelation 1:8

· “Every single part of your life has a ‘was.’ It has an ‘is.’ It has an ‘is to come.’ … We spend the vast majority of our prayer life, the vast majority of our thinking, worrying about the thing to come.” — Jon Chasteen

· “Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” — Exodus 23:30

· We like the God of big and fast. Most of our prayers aren’t “Lord, will you do it slowly?” Most of our prayers lean into the God who does big and fast. It’s not bad to pray those things. Sometimes, God shows up and does amazing things all of a sudden. But in life, more often than not, the Lord doesn’t work quickly or suddenly. Many times, God does things little by little. Noah built an ark little by little. Joseph’s dreams came true little by little. Little by little is a pattern. It’s everywhere in life. It’s there for us all of the time … finishing college, spiritual growth, developing friendships, building careers, etc.

· If you really understood this concept that God is in the little by little, how much tension could you release? How much could you stay relaxed and without anxiety? You think God is just in the big and the bold, but in those moments where you need things to move quickly, understand that God is working; He’s doing things little by little.

A Time for Increase

· We must focus on the right increase.

· “When I pray, most of my prayers are up and to the right. I’m praying for increase. There’s nothing wrong with this, but most of my prayers are to get better, faster, stronger, richer, and wiser. … Many of my prayers say ‘Lord, bring the increase! Bring the increase! Do it Lord. I’m ready,’ but the Lord says, ‘You’re not ready.’ … What if we’re saying, ‘Lord, bring the increase,’ but the Lord is saying, ‘I’m waiting on you to bring the increase.’” — Jon Chasteen

· It’s not bad to pray for increase, but what if, simultaneously, we were praying, “God bring the increase AND increase my capacity. Lord, if there’s anything in me that’s keeping me from occupying everything you’re calling me to, then I want you to show it to me.”

· In the Kingdom of God, increase is actually decrease. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” [John 3:30]

· “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” — 1 Timothy 6:6

Seeds of Temptation

· In the context of our callings, what is your Promised Land? What is God calling you to do? Is God calling you to be the president of an organization? Is God calling you to be a senior pastor? Is God calling you to be a an engineer? Whatever it is that God’s calling you to do, the Promised Land that God sends you to will also tempt you.

· The things we carry into our Promised Land can be habits, addictions, patterns of thinking, relationships, or distractions. Even your tiniest struggles need to be demolished, or they will grow up into big things.

Patience for God’s Plan

· If we agree that one of God’s attributes is to operate little by little, then there’s no reason to hurry.

· “I have a really hard time finding anything in the Bible that says God’s in a hurry. … There is no record of Jesus ever running in Scripture. Not once. … What I’ve realized is that I can actually outrun God. And when I get myself in the most trouble is when I outpace the God of little by little.” — Jon Chasteen

· “He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” — Isaiah 40:29–31

· God is working little by little. The Lord is already in your tomorrow. He’s already there leveling mountains for you, making crooked paths straight for you, chasing off enemies who are going to come after you. But he’s waiting on you to increase. He’s doing this for your benefit and your protection so there’s no need to hurry. Anxiousness has no place in God’s plan for your life.

Watch the full Chapel — “The God of Little by Little” — from Jon Chasteen, and choose from over 350 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

Searching for knowledge AND integrity?

ORU https://oru.edu/ is a Top 10 university for “Student Experience” (Wall Street Journal 2025), a Top 25 university for diversity (Niche 2024), and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity (Niche 2024). With more than 5,000 students representing well over 140 nations, ORU offers students a multicultural, global campus. Here at ORU, our mission is to develop whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education and leadership training. If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers academic excellence in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

A College Student’s Guide to Forgiveness

Your time in college will be filled with many moments of joy, but that doesn’t mean there won’t also be moments of pain. The pain might come from a classmate or a roommate or a professor … somebody who wrongs you, leaving you both injured and angry. So what do you do in these moments of injury? Some will let the anger boil over like poison, allowing resentment, bitterness, and revenge to take root. But others … they’ll find freedom (and a path forward) through forgiveness.

In her ORU Chapel message, “Choosing Forgiveness,” Allie Mendoza discusses the difficulties of forgiveness and the freedom it promises. She cautions that forgiveness isn’t always easy, but through it, we can move forward and beyond bitterness and anger. She reminds us that even when we’re wounded, Jesus wants us to forgive the way He has forgiven us.

Key Takeaways

The Foundation of Forgiveness

· Sometimes, you have been wronged. Sometimes, you have done something wrong to someone else. So learning to receive but also give forgiveness is equally important.

· “Jesus’ forgiveness of our sins is the very foundation of our Christian faith. We should be in awe of the Cross. We should be in in awe that our sins have been forgiven through Jesus’ blood. … Because we are in right standing with God and we receive His forgiveness, then we can forgive those around us.” — Allie Mendoza

· “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” — Colossians 1:13–14

· “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:9

Fixing Your Wounds

· Forgiveness is the Biblical response to woundedness, but it’s not necessarily our natural response, which might be anger, hurt, disappointment, bitterness, or frustration. It’s okay to have a natural response. When you try to dismiss wounds with cliches or false spirituality, you’re never going to experience true healing. You need to bring your natural self fully to the Lord and then let Him do the supernatural work in your heart.

· “Your emotions should lead you to the feet of Jesus instead into the arms of sin. … When we are wounded, when we are offended, we have the greatest opportunity to walk in the likeness of Christ. On the flip side, when we need to receive forgiveness, we have the greatest opportunity to return to the foot of the Cross and receive His mercy and His grace anew.” — Allie Mendoza

· “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” — Colossians 3:12–13

What Forgiveness Offers

· Forgiveness doesn’t excuse injustice or require reconciliation.

· Sometimes, we don’t want to practice forgiveness because we feel like it lets the other person off the hook. But if we hold on to an event or to words, it gives them power over us, and it allows them to wound us again and again and again. Forgiveness never rights the injustice, but it allows that injustice to no longer rule over us.

· Forgiveness doesn’t require reconciliation. Some relationships (abusive or unhealthy) should not be restored. Sometimes restoration is impossible. But forgiveness and reconciliation are two very different events, and they can happen independently from one another.

· “Forgiveness doesn’t cancel out the consequences. It doesn’t cancel out the pain, but it allows us to move on and to heal.” — Allie Mendoza

More Than Just “Sorry”

· Forgiveness is more than just saying sorry. Saying you’re sorry is the absolute baseline of an apology. But when you go a step further and ask for forgiveness, it creates vulnerability between two people. The person asking forgiveness lays down their pride and self-interest; the person receiving the apology gets a space for processing, vulnerability, and self-expression. Sorry is often a platitude; forgiveness is an invitation.

· “As we seek to become more like Jesus, we have to intentionally choose to both offer forgiveness and to receive.” — Allie Mendoza

· “Forgiveness is manifested mercy; it is love in action — not love based on a feeling, but love based on a decision, an intentional choice to obey God.” — Joyce Meyer

· “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.” — Proverbs 17:9

Finding Freedom in Forgiveness

· Forgiveness is how we move forward. If we want to experience true freedom, then choosing forgiveness must be part of the story. Otherwise, we end up living in bitterness. Forgiveness doesn’t suddenly make something okay; however, it gives us a new way forward into peace and joy instead of being trapped by pain and anger.

· “When we are wounded, when we have been betrayed, when we are offended, when people disappoint us, when we’ve experienced real hurt and deep trauma, how do we respond? Do we idolize our anger? Do we live in fear? Do we project what’s happened to us onto other people in our lives? Or do we find our security in Jesus? Do we choose the way of the Cross? Do we do the hard work to process well and choose forgiveness that leads to our freedom?” — Allie Mendoza

· Sometimes, the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. Sometimes, we blame ourselves for choices that other people have made. We’ll never have peace, we’ll never have freedom, when we’re punishing ourselves for what God has already paid for.

· If you’re struggling with forgiveness:

#1. Take a moment to confess and repent of anything in your heart that isn’t of Jesus. Ask Him to search you and to know you. Put the Cross at the forefront of your mind.

#2. Identify the wound and what you need to forgive.

#3. Name the wound specifically and say it out loud.

#4. Pray a prayer of personal surrender to Jesus and visualize yourself giving Him your wound.

#5. Say out loud “I choose to forgive [blank] for [blank].”

#6. Ask the Lord to seal that forgiveness in your heart, and pray a prayer of blessing over the person you’ve forgiven.

Watch the full Chapel — “Choosing Forgiveness” — from Allie Mendoza, and choose from over 350 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

Learn to be — not just a leader — but a resilient leader!

Ranked as one of the top universities in America for “Student Experience” (Wall Street Journal 2025), ORU https://oru.edu/ develops whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. And at ORU, a college education is a diverse education. We offer a growing multicultural, global community with more than 5,000 students representing well over 140 nations (ORU is ranked one of the Top 25 “Most Diverse Colleges in America” and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity (Niche 2024)). If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

Who Are Your College Friends? (And Are They Pulling the Potential Out of You?)

One of the great benefits of college is friendship. College is fertile ground for finding people like you … friends who care about you, friends who share similar passions, friends who want to spend time with you. The people you meet in college will become like family, and much like your education, this family will shape, grow, and change you, which means you need friends who are dependable, well-intentioned, and not afraid to speak up.

In his ORU Chapel message, “Friends for the Fight,” Earl McClellan discusses the spiritual need for dependable friends … friends who will challenge you and who will be there in times of trouble. Earl says that to discover your Godly potential, you need to surround yourself with people who will help pull that potential out of you. But it doesn’t end there … to surround yourself with the right friends, you also need to “be who you want to attract.”

Key Takeaways

Don’t Go It Alone

· “My friends are a critical piece of who I am and who I am becoming. … This is a critical piece for who you’re going to become. I’m encouraging you to have some friends who will be willing to be in the fight with you, not just friends who are willing to be there when everything is good, not just friends who are willing to be there when everything is going great.” — Earl McClellan

· “There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ This too is meaningless — a miserable business! Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4:8–12

· Sometimes, Christians think silence is the way to show their love. But to be the friend God is calling you to be, at some point you must stand up and put your friendship on the line. You can’t let your friends put themselves in the grave. You have to say something now!

· “You don’t need to be afraid of this generation. … If God did not want you here in this generation, you would not have been born. You are here on purpose and on assignment. The God of Heaven saw fit that in this day and age and in this generation, you would come into the Earth, and you have a problem that God wants you to solve. There is something going on in the Earth that God says you, as a man or a woman, are uniquely designed to bring hope and life and strength to.” — Earl McClellan

· The people around you have a lot to do with whether or not you’ll continue to walk in God’s purpose and calling for your life. You were born strategically and on purpose, but to be all that God has called you to be, to take the steps God is wanting you to take, you need the right people around you.

Pulling Out Your Potential

· “Why in the world are you giving a half effort when Jesus went all the way for you? Why in the world are you playing games like you don’t have the potential of Heaven on the inside of you? You’re walking around like you’re average. You better start running!” — Earl McClellan

· You need friends who are willing to fight with you and for you. You need friends who have your back. Stop trying to separate yourself from the ones God put in your life to pull the potential out of you.

· Your friends might make you feel uncomfortable because they’re giving their all. They might make you feel uncomfortable because they’re calling you out on your stuff. They might make you feel uncomfortable because they’re trying to live at the standard God has for them. They’re not trying to be average; they’re trying to live with excellence.

· “These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.” — 2 Samuel 23:8–9

Getting Full on Fast-Food Friends

· There are some friends who are very convenient. They’re like fast-food friends. They make you feel “fake full.” They’re not good for you. They don’t provide the stuff you need to grow and to become all that God has called you to be. You might feel content, but God actually has something more and better for you.

· “If you’re waiting for Christianity to get easier, if you’re waiting for a time when everything is smooth and perfect, if you’re waiting for a time when God has answered all of your prayers and you have no concerns and no issues … you will be waiting for the rest of your life.” — Earl McClellan

· You want somebody who’s in love with Jesus. You want somebody who’s pure. You want somebody who’s following hard after God. That’s great, but here’s the question: Are you?

· “Be who you want to attract.” — Earl McClellan

Watch the full Chapel — “Friends for the Fight” — from Earl McClellan, and choose from over 350 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

Graduate with bold vision!!!

Ranked as one of the Top 25 “Most Diverse Colleges in America” and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity (Niche 2024), ORU https://oru.edu/ is a multicultural, global campus with more than 5,000 students representing well over 140 nations. And as a Top 10 university for “Student Experience” (Wall Street Journal 2025), ORU has been recognized as one of the best colleges in the U.S. to have “a great experience while attending.” If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

When the Storms Come in College, Don’t Run. Instead, Trust and Grow!

Your years in college won’t always be bright and sunny; guaranteed, there will be storms to navigate. In these storms, you’ll face various struggles … struggles in class, struggles with friends, struggles with professors, struggles with family, etc. A college campus isn’t a haven from the storms, and as a college student, you’ll never be immune from times of trouble. However, you can always face your troubles in a productive and Godly way.

In his ORU Chapel message, “What to Do in Times of Trouble,” Mo Huggins, Jr. discusses the “storms” — trials, difficulties, and heartaches — every person experiences in life. Faced with these storms, Mo reminds us that our walk with God won’t always be easy. That said, there’s more to the storms than just the struggle. The storms in life also provide opportunities to trust in God, to grow, and to become the person God wants you to be.

Key Takeaways

Sifting & Shaking: You Can Expect It

· Sometimes, walking with Jesus doesn’t look like butterflies and rainbows. You are going to face trials, difficulties, and heartaches. If you don’t know what to do, your faith may fail. There is a sifting and a shaking that is coming to your life. If you’re not prepared, it could destroy you.

· “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” — Luke 22: 31–32

· “John 10:10 tells us that there is an enemy of your soul who desires to kill steal and destroy, to disrupt God’s assignment on your life.” — Mo Huggins, Jr.

· To navigate the times of trouble, there’s one simple thing you must do: learn to trust in God. Intellect won’t help. Strategy won’t help. Nothing except the King of Kings will help you navigate times of trouble. If you learn to trust in God, it will radically change your life. Nothing you come up against will “sift” you to the point of walking away. Your trust will be cemented in the right place.

Trust in God’s Authority

· “God is in control of what’s outside of your control. It may be above you, but it’s always beneath Him. It may be out of your ability, but it’s always under His authority.” — Mo Huggins, Jr.

· It doesn’t matter what Satan is asking. What matters is who has the authority to allow it. Don’t focus your attention on what the enemy is trying to do. Look to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We spend too much time magnifying our problems instead of magnifying our God. Your problems may give you spiritual amnesia; remind yourself that if God is for you, who can be against you.

· “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.” — 2 Chronicles 20:6

· “It’s not so much that we don’t trust in God’s authority. Every now and then, we ask ‘God, what are you doing? I know you’re in control, but why would you allow this to happen?’ Jesus reveals to Peter that there is a sifting coming, but He doesn’t stop the shaking from coming. He tells them ahead of time it’s coming, and like good church folk, we want to pray those things away. But there are some storms that God sends in your life on purpose, and you might be praying the very thing that God said ‘no’ this is necessary for what I’ve called you to do.” — Mo Huggins, Jr.

· Why does God allow difficult things to happen? God will send a storm to get what’s in you out of you. The storm isn’t sent to destroy you; it’s sent to develop you. You need to trust in the protection of God. The protection of God doesn’t happen outside the storms in your life. It happens in the middle of the storms. God’s hand of protection isn’t keeping you out of the storms; rather, it allows you to endure the place He has put you in.

· “It’s in the storms where you get to see who God is. You don’t see who God is on the mountain. You see Him in the valley. … It’s in the storm where you learn how to call on the name of Jesus. It’s in the middle of the fight where you know that there is a name above every other name, the name of Jesus.” — Mo Huggins, Jr.

· “Call on Me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give Me glory.” — Psalm 50:15

Growing Through Adversity

· “But” is an important word in Scripture. It’s a negating word; everything that comes after “but” cancels out what was said before. There is a “but God” who has saved your life over and over again. When you make a bad decision, it’s “but God” who shows up. When you’re about to give up, it’s “but God” who strengthens your life.

· You should not run from adversity. You should ask God “What are you trying to teach me in this adversity?” Hebrews 12:11 says “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Instead of running from adversity, say “God build me … develop me. Make me into the person you want me to be.”

· “Sometimes, God’s greatest protection in your life is to delay what you have seen and heard from Him until you’re ready not to mess it up. … And sometimes we overestimate our ability instead of depending on God’s ability.” — Mo Huggins, Jr.

· One of the hardest places for believers to trust in God is in God’s grace. Self-righteousness tricks us into thinking that if we do enough or never make a mistake, we can earn it. But Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” What the enemy wants you to do is get so stuck on your issues that you can’t see what God is doing in the background. The enemy wants you laser focused on where you’ve failed so you miss the truth of God’s Scripture.

· “The same God who knows your history is writing the rest of your story, and you can’t write yourself out of God’s plan just because you have fallen short. … The same God who anticipated your fall is the same God who anticipates your return.” — Mo Huggins, Jr.

Watch the full Chapel — “What to Do in Times of Trouble” — from Mo Huggins, Jr., and choose from over 350 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

A degree with integrity … you’ll find it here!!!

Wall Street Journal (2025) ranked ORU https://oru.edu/ a Top 10 university for “Student Experience,” making it one of the best colleges in the U.S. to have “a great experience while attending.” ORU’s mission is to engage with students and to develop whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. As a Top 25 “Most Diverse College in America” and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity (Niche 24), we offer one of America’s most diverse college settings with a multicultural, global campus of more than 5,000 students representing well over 140 nations. If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

In College, You Might Be Searching for Purpose, but Be Careful … Your Purpose Might Not Be What…

In College, You Might Be Searching for Purpose, but Be Careful … Your Purpose Might Not Be What You Think It Is

It’s been said that the “purpose” of life is to discover your gift, and every year, students enroll in college in search of this “gift.” Typically, students view this gift in terms of a dream job or a specialized skill or the pursuit of a lifelong passion. Like every college student, ORU students come to campus in search of something greater, and they do it in an environment that fosters both intellectual and spiritual growth. But in searching for their “gift,” ORU students don’t have to search for a “purpose” … because they find their purpose in serving and loving God.

In his ORU Chapel message, “The Problem with Purpose,” Jesse Wagner talks about the desire for purpose and how it can become misdirected because of self-focus and the demand for personal significance. He calls this misdirection a “problem” but offers a solution, one that reminds us of our main purpose … to honor and worship God with our lives.

Key Takeaways

Too Much about Ourselves, Too Little about God

· Your desire for significance may not be wrong, but it could be misdirected. It can be misdirected when your longing for significance is self-focused.

· The problem with purpose is we can make purpose too much about ourselves and too little about God. We all have a tendency to make purpose and calling about ourselves. That tendency is inside of all of us.

· “As you look through the Bible, anytime that it talks about purpose or calling, you will start to realize it’s not your purpose. It’s God’s purpose. The Bible isn’t about us. Our life isn’t just about us. The purpose of our life isn’t about us. It’s about God, and this truth is echoed all throughout Scripture. You and I weren’t meant for glory. We weren’t meant to receive praise. That’s God’s right.” — Jesse Wagner

· “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

· Often, we don’t set out to be self-consumed and self-focused, but it can easily happen. It’s a slippery slope because it’s easy to get it backwards. Your purpose involves you and God, but it’s not for you. It’s for God.

Honoring God with Your Life

· Your purpose is simple: it’s to honor and worship God with your life.

· “Maybe you’ve spent so much time obsessing about and being completely dialed into what is the specific thing that God has called you to do that you’ve missed the clearly laid out things in God’s Word. You don’t have to over complicate it. Many people obsess over the concealed will of God and miss the revealed will of God that’s perfectly laid out in Scripture. And that purpose is not about you.” — Jesse Wagner

· Everyone can honor God with their lives. It’s a target every person can hit. It’s not dependent on your circumstances. It’s not dependent on who you are, the season you’re in, or what you do.

The Question to Ask Yourself

· Your purpose is less about what you do and more about who you are. Most people are too focused on what they’re going to do rather than on who they’re going to become.

· For people who are full of purpose, full of potential, full of calling, full of vision, and full of faith, the question isn’t ‘Are you going to do incredible things with your life?’ The question isn’t about achieving your goals. The question isn’t about being rich and successful or about getting your dream job. The question is ‘Can you do all of that and be the person God has called you to be?’”

· “Can you lead others to Jesus? Can your life bring glory and honor to Him. Because you’re not just a future nurse, teacher, educator, athlete, pastor, or businessperson. You’re a child of God, created to worship and honor Him with your life.” — Jesse Wagner

Watch the full Chapel — “The Problem with Purpose” — from Jesse Wagner, and choose from over 250 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

An ORU education is a GLOBAL education!!!

U.S. News ranked ORU https://oru.edu/ “One of the Best Value Universities,” and the Wall Street Journal (2024) ranked ORU a Top 10 university for “Student Experience,” making it one of the best colleges in the U.S. to have “a great experience while attending.” Our mission is to engage with students and to develop whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. And our goal — with more than 5,000 students representing well over 140 nations — is to provide our student body with a growing, multicultural, global community (for 2024, Niche ranked ORU one of the Top 25 “Most Diverse Colleges in America” and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity). If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

Frozen in Your Faith? The Steps College Students Must Take to Move Forward

Introduction

For a college student, it can be difficult to move forward in one’s faith. After all, most college campuses put faith on the fringes, not at the center. At ORU, faith is central to everything we do; it’s foundational to both our students and our university. With faith as the foundation, ORU students move forward, listening to God and acting on behalf of His kingdom.

But what if you’re a college student who can’t move forward? What if you’re frozen in place?

In his ORU Chapel message, “Next Up,” Terry Parkman speaks to the immobile believer, to the Christian who’s unwilling to embrace God’s new thing. If you’re a college student and you’re frozen in your faith, Terry urges you to ask God for what He has coming to you, to fully take on the calling that God’s laying before you, and to step out in faith.

Key Takeaways

Take Hold of What’s in Front of You

· “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” — Isaiah 43:19

· “When it comes to God doing a new thing in our life, sometimes we make the mistake of looking at our best yesterday, giving it an upgrade, and calling that the ‘new thing.’ Your ‘new thing’ means a new thing. It means you can’t compare it to others because others have never been where you’re about to go.” — Terry Parkman

· Take hold of what God has in front of you. Don’t ask for permission from man to do the thing that God has given you a conviction to do. You don’t need confirmation. Confirmation is what you do when you don’t believe what a holy God has said. You don’t need confirmation. You need conviction.

· Anytime your faith becomes more cultural than scriptural, idolatry follows. A cultural Christian is somebody who’s not biblically literate, who’s not discipled, and who’s not culturally discerning.

· Say something culturally triggering, and a biblical Christian redeems it; they filter it through the word of God. But a cultural Christian, instead of filtering culture through the word of God, filters the word of God through culture, and whatever culture doesn’t agree with, they throw away.

Your Faith Requires Action

· When you’re in the presence of God, He is asking you a transformative question: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Does your answer bring more convenience into your life? Or does your answer require you to take steps of faith?

· “Stop comparing leaders, stop comparing students, stop comparing! Why? Because you were not created in the image of other people. You were not created in the image of an influencer or a celebrity. You were not created in the image of a worship team or a church-famous person on a platform. You were created in the image of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords so stop comparing today because others have never been where God is about to take you.” — Terry Parkman

· Many ask God for less than what He’s offering. You might think it’s prideful to ask for more, but it’s just as prideful to ask for less, to play fake humble before God knowing God has called you for more.

· What happens when everything you’ve ever asked for and prayed for is in front of you? Accepting it can change your identity, your behavior, how people view you, and how you live your life. Many are afraid because they know they can’t go back to being who they were. Do not be afraid to take hold of what God gives. Forget the consequences; God wants to use you.

· “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” — James 2:17

· “I know a lot of pastors and a lot of leaders who love the title, who love the office, who love the platform, but there is no power behind it. … Don’t be satisfied with a title, with an office, or with a position. Power doesn’t need a position. Anointing doesn’t need to be announced. Influence doesn’t need a platform.” — Terry Parkman

Fully Step into What God Has for You

· You will never fully step into what God has for you until you ask for the things God has promised you, take hold of the anointing He’s laid out before you, and step out in faith. When you are faithful to God, when you ask for what’s coming to you, when you step out in faith, God will let the miracles in your life far exceed your time on this Earth.

· If God is moving, active, and dynamic and the Holy Spirit is moving in our life, there’s always forward momentum. We’re always at a place where we have to ask for what God has coming to us, fully take on the calling that He’s laying before us, or step out in faith.

· “Your faith has nothing to do with just you but with everybody else that comes after you because of your obedience.” — Terry Parkman

Watch the full Chapel — “Next Up” — from Terry Parkman, and choose from over 250 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

Graduate with bold vision!!!

Ranked as one of the Top 25 “Most Diverse Colleges in America” and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity (Niche 2024), ORU https://oru.edu/ is a multicultural, global campus with more than 5,000 students representing well over 140 nations. And as a Top 10 university for “Student Experience” (Wall Street Journal 2024), ORU has been recognized as one of the best colleges in the U.S. to have “a great experience while attending.” If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

Struggling in College? The Remedy: Change Your Mind

Introduction

Your move from high school to college is a big change. It’s a move that changes your community, your self-reliance, and your capacity to grow. And with these changes, there can be certain struggles … struggles that throw you off your path and jeopardize your values.

So how do you overcome these struggles in college?

At ORU, we find strength in a faith-based community and direction in the power of prayer. As with any college campus, there can be struggles, but we respond with spiritual growth and maturity. Part of this maturity comes from a change of heart. But as Steve Robinson makes clear in his Chapel message “Saved but Struggling,” part of this maturity — i.e., the capacity to be transformed — comes from a change of mind.

Key Takeaways

Change Your Heart, Change Your Mind

When you give your heart to Christ, you change. You’re born again, and your heart changes. But guess what doesn’t change … your head. The Christian life is a life of progression and growth where your heart transforms the moment you come to Christ. But the problem often isn’t in your heart; the problem is in your head.

“If you don’t like where your life is today, if you don’t like what you have today, if you don’t like the direction you’re going today, you have to learn to renew your mind.” — Steve Robinson

You Are What You Think

Proverbs 23:7 says “For as a person thinks within themselves, so they are.” Literally, we become what we think.

The feelings you feel today are based upon the thoughts you allow into your mind. Your feelings are a response to your thoughts. So what you think about determines what you feel about. What you think and feel determines the choices you make. Ultimately, your makeup and character are the result of what you thought.

“You need to enter into passionately the process of renewing your mind. Your mind still needs to be transformed. ‘Do not be conformed of the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ [Romans 12:2]. Paul is writing to people who love God, who have been transformed in their hearts, but who are still struggling in their souls. They still have the thoughts from their past.” — Steve Robinson

The Keys to a Renewed Mind

The first key to renewing your mind: surrender your total life to God. Daily worship is 24/7. You have to present yourself daily before God.

Consider the difference between a dead sacrifice and a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice can get off the altar and say “I’m not doing this anymore.” Because on the sacrificial altar, it gets hot. If you want your soul to experience substantial change, you have to stay on the altar.

The second key to renewing your mind: transform your thinking. Transformed thinking begins when you’re totally committed to the process. The world around you is a pattern, but don’t be pressed into the mold of the value systems, the mindsets, the philosophies, and the ideologies of the world. The world says “You are what you feel.” God’s Word says “You are what I say.”

“Paul says don’t allow your life to be poured into the mold that the world has built for you … how you view relationships … how you view your future … how you view your presence. Don’t be conformed but be transformed. Paul is inviting us into a dynamic lifelong process.” — Steve Robinson

You’ve got to take responsibility for your thoughts. You have authority in God to control your thoughts. You must reject carnal thoughts that come into your mind. You can capture every thought. You don’t have to receive the trash from the world.

The third key to renewing your mind: rewrite the script. How many times do we live out a script that was given to us by someone other than God? From a parent, maybe you received a script that was not God’s word over your life. Maybe you received something painful from a boyfriend, a girlfriend, or a coach … somebody who didn’t know God. Once you feel these lies, they feel so true. Hell wants to give you a script, but God has a better script.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do all that is written in it. For then you’ll make your way prosperous, and then you’ll have good success” — Joshua 1:8

“The way that you rewrite the script is you take God’s Word with your mouth, and you begin to declare what God says over your life. Biblical meditation is never just thinking; it’s thinking and speaking. How did Jesus defeat the devil? He didn’t just outthink him; He outspoke him.” — Steve Robinson

Watch the full Chapel — “Saved but Struggling” — from Steven Robinson, and choose from nearly 250 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

A degree with integrity … you’ll find it here!!!

Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Ed ranked ORU a Top 10 university for Engagement. ORU’s mission is to engage with students and to develop whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. And as a Top 50 “Most Diverse College in America” and Oklahoma’s #1 university for diversity (Niche 2023), we offer one of America’s most diverse college settings with a multicultural, global campus of more than 4,500 students representing well over 120 nations. If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Learn more.

You’ve Got a Plan after College, but What if God Has His Own Plan for You?

Introduction

If you’re a college student, you might have a perfect plan for after graduation, one that leads you to a big company in a big city making a big paycheck. But what if your plan isn’t God’s plan? What if the plan you need — the thing that will satisfy you — is not of this world?

At ORU, we believe in big plans and bold visions, but when we act, we act with the power of prayer and the power of faith. That’s how our students live … as Spirit-empowered people who welcome God into their plans. In his Chapel message “Revival,” Nick Hall reminds us that God’s plan for you — His better plan — doesn’t need the world’s approval, doesn’t leave room for judgment, and doesn’t need you to be in a hurry.

Key Takeaways

Your Plan, Your Idol

· God is looking for people who are hungry … for people who are willing to admit “Hey, we’re not perfect.”

· “Nothing compares to the glory of God. We can waste our whole lives living for the approval of this world. There’s not a job that will satisfy you. There’s not a boy or girl who will satisfy you. There’s not a bank account balance that will satisfy you. No drugs or alcohol will satisfy you. No big church will satisfy you. No big ministry will satisfy you. Until we are satisfied by Jesus, we will never be satisfied.” — Nick Hall

· God can do anything through anyone, and He can use anyone from anywhere. God is not a respecter of status or persons or titles. If you are willing, God can use you.

· “You will never regret what you give up for God. You will always regret what you withhold.” — Nick Hall

· Having a great plan isn’t always what God wants. If you put your great plan ahead of God, that plan becomes an idol. The number one obstacle to God’s Spirit being poured out is our sin and our plans. God is looking for where we are willing to make space and get out of the way.

The Economy of God

· “In the economy of God, He has room for both ends of the spectrum. If you are easy to believe and some call you ‘gullible,’ God welcomes you. And if you are a cynic and a skeptic and a person of reason who wants data and science, God has space for you. We need people who doubt and question. Why? Because it’s going to take someone like you to reach someone like you.” — Nick Hall

· “God is wanting to deliver us from judging what we don’t understand. When, by the grace of God through the power of the Spirit, you’re able to say ‘God, they are only judging because they don’t understand,’ what you’re doing is you’re taking the bullets out of Satan’s gun before he can shoot you. God is wanting an un-offendable spirit in His bride because we need each other, we’re never going to understand each other, and we’re not like each other. That’s a good thing because it takes all of us to reach all of us” — Nick Hall

Not So Fast

· “As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” — Luke 10:38–42

· How easily we are distracted … distracted by pressure, distracted by social media, distracted by lust and sin and shame and condemnation.

· God’s not in a hurry. Western culture and American culture want to say it’s only real if you do something with it right away. A word from the Lord has to be posted on TikTok. Something heard from God has to go up on Instagram. People will say it’s only real if you go and share your faith right away, but sometimes, God has something just for you.

· Repentance and confession should be normal Christian life. Many people are stuck in a sin, and nobody knows it. When you bring it into the light, when you confess it one to another, not only does God heal you, He heals others through your testimony.

Watch the full Chapel — “Revival” — from Nick Hall, and choose from nearly 250 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

An ORU education is a Global education!!!

Ranked as one of the top universities in America for student engagement (Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Ed), ORU develops whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. And at ORU, a college education is a diverse education. We offer a growing multicultural, global community with more than 5,000 students representing well over 125 nations (ORU is ranked one of the Top 50 most diverse universities in America (Niche 2023)). If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Explore Oral Roberts University — a leadership innovator and one of the largest, most influential Christian liberal arts universities in the world. Learn more.

A College Life Without a Faith Life? Stop Making Excuses

Introduction

When you choose to go to college, you might choose the excuses that come with it. “Too tired” … that excuse will help you skip class. “Too hard” … that excuse will help you fail an exam. “Too much work” … that excuse will leave you without a diploma. Or maybe it’s your faith that will fall victim to excuses; maybe college will be the excuse you need to abandon Jesus. At ORU, we don’t make excuses for our commitment to faith. Faith is foundational in everything we do; it’s central to the spiritual growth that occurs on our campus. But spiritual growth can still be undone by excuses, and in his Chapel message “No More Excuses,” ORU President William M. Wilson talks about the excuses people regularly use to maintain their distance from God.

Key Takeaways

Making Excuses, Missing Out

· Benjamin Franklin said “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

· Excuses have been around a long time. They started in the Garden of Eden. The man’s excuse was “The woman made me do it.” The woman’s excuse was “The devil made me do it.” Excuses are an ancient practice by which we deflect blame and avoid responsibility.

· “As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him [Jesus], ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow Me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow You, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” — Luke 9:57–62

· “When Jesus invites us to follow Him, He’s inviting us to two things: first, a deliberate death, and second, a dynamic life. Following Jesus starts at the cross, and a relationship with Jesus involves the cross for the rest of your life. If you’re going to follow Jesus, it is a deliberate dying to yourself. You can’t go your way and Jesus’ way at the same time.” — Dr. William M. Wilson

· When we give excuses, we miss what God has for us. God wants people in fellowship with Him through all of time, and no excuse stands up when it comes to following Jesus.

What’s Your Excuse?

· Many people say that following Jesus is not comfortable. It’s outside their comfort zone. It’s too hard. If you follow Jesus, He will move you out of your comfort zone. Growing is painful, and the journey with Jesus is a lifetime of growth. Yes, Jesus will put you in uncomfortable situations, but the promise is He will be with you in those situations.

· Another excuse people give for not following Jesus is “It’s just not the right time.” But when will be the right time for you to follow Jesus?

· “Our salvation is never meant to be contingent upon when it is convenient for us. When God speaks to you, when you’re in His presence, when you have an opportunity to follow Him, to say yes to Him, that is the time to do so.” — Dr. William M. Wilson

· In failing to follow Jesus, some give the excuse that “I’m still attached to something in my past.” People say, “Something in my past happened, and that’s why I’m not following Jesus fully.”

· “You will never get to your future in God while you are holding on to your past.” — Dr. William M. Wilson

· “People choose not to follow Jesus because they prefer their lifestyle over the lifestyle Jesus exemplifies.” — Mark Thogmartin

· “For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities — His eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” — Romans 1:20

· God never excuses sin. God is willing to forgive your sin, but He doesn’t excuse your sin no matter what you’ve gone through. You’re without excuse before God, but you’re forgiven because of Jesus.

Watch the full Chapel — “No More Excuses” — from ORU President William M. Wilson, and choose from nearly 250 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

Searching for a degree with integrity … you’ll find it at ORU!!!

Ranked as one of the top universities in America for student engagement (Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Ed), ORU develops whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. And at ORU, a college education is a diverse education. We offer a growing multicultural, global community with more than 5,000 students representing well over 125 nations (ORU is ranked one of the Top 50 most diverse universities in America (Niche 2023)). If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Explore Oral Roberts University — a leadership innovator and one of the largest, most influential Christian liberal arts universities in the world. Learn more.

To Strengthen Your Faith While in College, Stay Rooted

INTRODUCTION

When you leave for college, you pull up your roots, which can be healthy because it gives you a chance to explore and grow in a new environment. Being uprooted offers personal freedom, but while it can be good, it can also lead to a spiritual uprooting, one that wilts your faith and your closeness to God. At ORU, our campus was created to keep college students rooted in their faith as they stretch themselves personally and intellectually. But staying rooted spiritually takes work, and Allie Mendoza — ORU’s Associate Director of Spiritual Life — urges you to be intentional in growing your roots. In her Chapel message “Roots,” Allie explains how to stay anchored spiritually and grow deep when the world tries to blow you over.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Strengthening Your Roots

· The Lord is calling us to check our root systems. Pause and reflect on the areas of your life where you need to become more like Jesus.

· Some people have a root system like a fallen tree. It isn’t as strong as it needs to be. It won’t keep them rooted in Jesus.

· “The Lord has an invitation for us to be reset and to be refreshed and to be re-rooted in Him.” — Allie Mendoza

· “And he will be like a tree firmly planted and fed by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers and comes to maturity.” — Psalm 1:3

The Roots of Eating Well

· What are you feeding your mind and your heart? We sometimes have unrealistic expectations of what we take into our lives in conjunction with what we expect to come out. What you’re taking into our mind may not be what you want to exemplify in your life. It may create comparison and isolation and discontentment.

· “We need to recognize that just because something isn’t inherently evil doesn’t mean it’s good for us. As believers who are trying to become more like Jesus, even if something isn’t inherently bad doesn’t mean it’s intrinsically good. We need to recognize what is unhealthy, what’s neutral, what’s beneficial, and what season of life we are in.” — Allie Mendoza

· “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” — Philippians 4:8–9

· You don’t become the person God is calling you to be by coincidence. You must fill your mind with the truth. You must be intentional and disciplined. You must be rooted in the right source. Cultivating your spiritual life is a choice. It’s a choice you get to make every day. So be discerning about what you’re feeding yourself.

The Roots of Longevity

· If you want longevity in your faith, then everything else — no matter how good or how great — has to come after Jesus. To cultivate longevity, you need to think offensively … what are the potential obstacles that might keep you from running the marathon of faith?

· Beware of burnout. Oftentimes, the titles we love the most are the ones that cause us the deepest burnout. That’s because we often love the purpose and importance a title gives us more than the person it’s making us to be. Burnout happens when you’re more preoccupied with doing good activities for Jesus instead of abiding with Jesus. If your root system is rooted in activity, then it’s always going to crumble when there’s adversity.

· “Answer honestly: what do you turn to when you’re feeling burned out? If it’s not Jesus, then what in your life is coming before Him? As maturing believers, Jesus gets to be our first answer not our last resort.” — Allie Mendoza

· “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” — Romans 12:11–12

The Roots of Long-Suffering

· How do you respond when you experience pain? Does suffering cause your roots to become dry and withered? Or does it cause them to dig deeper into the soil?

· Suffering acts like a rope. It ties itself around us, but if we let Jesus have the other end, He can pull us to Him. But if you try to save yourself or give the rope to someone other than Jesus, it typically chokes the life out of you.

· “Jesus’ suffering didn’t drive Him away from the Father. If anything, the prospect of the cross drove Him closer. It drove Him to prayer. It drove Him to rely on God fully. Even when we don’t understand the why, our pain can have purpose when it points us to Jesus.” — Allie Mendoza

Watch the full Chapel — “Roots” — from Allie Mendoza, and choose from nearly 200 other Chapel messages on ORU YouTube.

Searching for a degree with integrity … you’ll find it at ORU!!!

Ranked as one of the top universities in America for student engagement (Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Ed), ORU develops whole leaders for the whole world through a unique Whole Person approach to college education. And at ORU, a college education is a diverse education. We offer a growing multicultural, global community with more than 5,000 students representing well over 125 nations (ORU is ranked one of the Top 50 most diverse universities in America (Niche 2023)). If you’re an on-campus student or if you’re seeking an online education, ORU offers bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in a global, Spirit-empowered environment. Explore Oral Roberts University — a leadership innovator and one of the largest, most influential Christian liberal arts universities in the world. Learn more.